1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an image processing apparatus, and more particularly to an electronic camera that is capable of performing a panoramic shooting or a consecutive shooting and storing multiple related images.
2. Description of Related Art
In a conventional electronic camera such as a digital camera, each captured image is stored in a memory as one image file. The stored images can be erased on a file-by-file (i.e., image-by-image) basis from the memory.
A well-known electronic camera is capable of performing a panoramic shooting and a consecutive shooting. A row of images are captured to be combined into a panoramic image in the panoramic shooting, and a sequence of consecutive images are captured in the consecutive shooting. Such an electronic camera stores additional information or related information, representing that each image is a part of a panoramic image or a sequence of consecutive images, in a memory, as well as the image at a panoramic shooting or a consecutive shooting.
If the images are allowed to be erased from the memory on a file-by-file basis, however, a user may accidentally erase the image that is a part of the panoramic image or the sequence of consecutive images. If the panoramic image or the sequence of consecutive images is erased partially, a spoiled image (a partially-lost image, an irregular-motion image, or the like) is reproduced, and therefore, all the images relating to the erased image become of no use.
Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. 5-300463 discloses an electronic camera that uses the related information, but it does not disclose any processing of erasing an image from the memory.